Michael Houser

ACQUIRED

Signed a one-year American Hockey League contract with Rochester Americans on August 5, 2021. Signed a one-year NHL contract with the Buffalo Sabres for the remainder of the 2021-22 season on January 12, 2022. Re-signed a one-year AHL contract with Rochester on July 15, 2022.

LAST SEASON

2021-22: Split most of the campaign with the Rochester Americans (AHL) and Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL), where he combined to go 11-13-1 in 29 appearances between the two clubs ...  Also appeared in seven playoff games with the two teams, showing a 2-2-1 record ... Made his Amerks playoff debut when he entered the third period in Game 4 of the North Division Semifinals against Utica on 5/17 ... Was originally signed to an AHL contract with Rochester to begin the season, but finished the campaign on an NHL contract with Buffalo for the second consecutive year ... In two appearances with the Sabres, he posted a pair of wins to go with a .948 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average ... Earned his first win of the season with Sabres at Ottawa on 1/18, stopping 43 of the 44 shots he faced ... Posted a 30-save win with Rochester while appearing in his 300^th pro game at Hershey on 12/19 ... Made 28 saves to pick up his first AHL win of the season against Lehigh Valley on 11/19 ... Posted a 32-save win in his season debut for Cincinnati at Indy on 10/23

CAREER

2020-21: In a combined eight games between the Buffalo Sabres (NHL) and Rochester Americans (AHL), posted a 3-5-0 record ... Went 2-2-0 in four starts with the Sabres while earning the start in each of Rochester’s final four games of the season – including three games in three nights – finishing the year with 110 saves to go along with a 2.33 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage ... Signed an NHL contract with Buffalo for the remainder of the 2020-21 season on 3/19 ... Carried a shutout into the final minute of regulation before allowing a penalty shot goal with only 36 seconds remaining in the 2-1 season-ending win over Utica on 5/16 ... Made 34 saves in Amerks debut at Utica on 5/12 ... Started each of the last four games of the season for Buffalo ... Won his second straight game against the N.Y. Islanders on 5/04, becoming the first Sabres goaltender to win his first two NHL starts since Mika Norornen did so on Oct. 5 and 7, 2000 ... His 45 saves were the most by a Sabres goaltender in a single game since Carter Hutton stopped 47 shots on Oct. 17, 2019 at Los Angeles ... Earned his first NHL win after a 34-save effort in his NHL debut in Buffalo’s 4-2 victory over the N.Y. Islanders on 5/03 ... Became the second Sabre during the season to earn a win in his NHL debut, joining Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and just the seventh goaltender in franchise history to win his first career start ... It also marked the third time in Sabres team history and first since 1976-77 (Don Edwards and Bob Sauve) that the team had two goaltenders win their NHL debuts in the same season

2019-20: Posted a 16-5-5 record and 545 saves in 26 games during his fifth season with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) ... Ranked fifth among qualified goaltenders with a 2.27 goals-against average and tied for 14^th in wins ... Closed out the regular season winning five straight starts from 2/28 to 3/07, allowing two goals or less in each appearance over that span, including back-to-back shutouts ... Had a season-long six-game win streak from 1/18 to 2/01 ... Named the Warrior Hockey/ECHL Goaltender of the Week for the week of March 2-8 after posting a perfect 3-0-0-0 record with two shutouts, a .067 goals-against average and a .972 save percentage, marking the fourth time in his career he has earned an ECHL weekly honor ... Began the season with an 11-3-5 record in 19 games

2018-19: Named the 2018-19 ECHL Goaltender of the Year and an All-ECHL First Team selection after leading all netminders with a record of 29-7-4-1, along with a 2.13 goals-against average, a .922 save percentage and a pair of shutouts in his third stint with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) ... Became the first Cyclones netminder in franchise history to win the award ... Backstopped the Cyclones to an ECHL-best 51-13-5-3 record during the regular season, winning the Central Division title along the way ... It was the team’s second-best mark in franchise history and first 100-point season since winning the Kelly Cup in 2007-08 ... Also went 5-6 in 11 postseason contests, ranking among the top 10 goaltenders in goals-against average (2.40) and save percentage (.923) ... His 29 wins led all ECHL netminders, while his 2.13 goals-against average and .922 save percentage ranked second and fourth, respectively ... Allowed more than three goals on just seven occasions and made 25 or more saves in all but 12 outings ... Set a new Cyclones franchise record for wins by a goaltender with his 64^th win as a Cyclone in a 4-1 victory over Wheeling on 2/21 ... Earned his 100^th ECHL win with a 28-save effort in a 5-2 win at Toledo on 2/16 ... Named the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Month for December after a perfect 6-0-0-0 record along with a 1.17 goals-against average and a .950 save percentage during the month

2017-18: Spent nearly all of the season with the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL), boasting a 28-11-0 record and two shutouts ... Posted pro career-highs in wins (28), saves (2,552) and games played (45) ... Tied for third in the league in both wins and games played while his minutes played were third in the ECHL ... Reached 20 wins for the second straight season with a 29-save performance on 2/10 ... Made one save in 9:24 of action of a relief appearance with the Tucson Roadrunners (AHL) ... Posted his second shutout of the season and 10^th of his career in his 100^th career win 12/31 ... Was named ECHL Goaltender of the Month for the month of December as he went 9-0-1 with a pair of shutouts, a 1.92 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage in 11 appearances ... Honored as the ECHL Goaltender of the Week twice during the season ... Helped the Komets to the Western Conference Finals of the Kelly Cup as he carried a 10-7 record in 17 postseason games while showing a 2.44 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage

2016-17: Went 22-14-1 in 41 games with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) ... Earned a pair of shutouts to go along with a 2.58 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage ... Tied for seventh in the league with 22 wins while his save percentage and goals-against average ranked third and fourth, respectively ... Made a season-high 49 saves on 4/07 to conclude the season ... Stopped three of the four shots he faced during his only appearance with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) on 3/04 ... Went 5-0-0 from 2/2 to 2/22

2015-16: Held a 10-4-2 record in 16 games with the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) while also going 1-4-0 in six appearances with the Ontario Reign (AHL) ... Went 6-1-1 in eight games, including a 5-0-0 mark during the month of November with the Monarchs ... Stopped 21 of 22 during his Reign debut as he also earned the win on 1/17 ... Turned aside all six shots he faced in 20 minutes of work during the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs with Ontario

2014-15: In 37 games with the San Antonio Rampage (AHL), boasted a 19-9-4 record and two shutouts ... Had four different three-game win streaks during the slate, along with a season-best 5-0-0 mark from 3/14 to 3/22 ... Made his AHL Calder Cup debut on 4/25

2013-14: Split the campaign between the Rampage and Cyclones as he showed a 12-13-1 mark with San Antonio and a 5-6-1 record with Cincinnati ... Skated in 17 games during Cincinnati’s Kelly Cup run while posting a 9-8 record during that same stretch ... Showed a perfect 4-0-0 record from 1/29 to 2/21 as he allowed two or less goals in each of the four games ... Opened the season with a 3-0-0 record with the Rampage from 10/13 to 11/02 ... Made his AHL debut on 10/13 as he finished with 28 saves

2012-13: During his rookie season in the ECHL, posted a 17-10-2 record with Cincinnati along with a .917 save percentage and a 2.55 goals-against average ... Posted a season-long six-game win streak from 2/22 to 3/02, while allowing one goal in four of the six contests ... Made his pro debut as he stopped 29 of 30 shots he faced on 12/19

2011-12: In final campaign with the London Knights (OHL), led all OHL netminders with a career-high 62 games played, 1,862 saves, 3,698 minutes played and 46 wins ... Tied for second with a personal-best six shutouts ... Named the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player (Red Tilson Trophy), Goaltender of the Year and First All-Star Team selection ... Backstopped the Knights to the CHL Championship as he held a record of 16-3 in 19 appearances with a 2.25 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage ... Earned CHL Goaltender of the Year honors and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team

2010-11: Finished fourth among all OHL netminders with a record of 30-19-5 as his 54 games played ranked fifth during his second season with London ... Had three different four-game win streaks during the slate, including a pair of five-game winning streaks ... Showed a record of 2-4 in six postseason contests

2009-10: Manned the pipes for 25 contests with the Knights during his first season, showing a 17-4-1 record ... His 17 victories led all OHL rookie netminders while his 25 appearances were third-most among first-year goaltenders ... Did not have a decision during his 53 minutes of action in three postseason games ... Was named to the CHL All-Rookie Team and OHL First-All Rookie Team

2008-09: Went 5-18-0 in 32 games during his only season with the Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) ... Earned his first-career victory in juniors as he stopped 28 of 29 shots he faced on 1/03 ... Made his USHL debut on 11/15